She Moved Through the Fair
by jdmusiclover
Summary: Four-year-old Killian Jones wakes crying from a nightmare and his mother soothes him back to sleep with a lullaby. Centuries later, now a father himself, Killian leaves the warmth of his bed and his Emma to soothe his own newborn daughter with the same song. Mama Jones/Daddy Killian/CS baby angsty fic.


Alice Jones heard his cry in the night and got quickly to her feet. A wave of dizziness passed over her, and she took a moment to steady herself, to get her breath. It was getting harder and harder to breathe as the days wore on, and she felt more of her strength leaving her with every passing minute.

A lump came to Alice's throat as she passed from the bedroom she shared with her husband, Brennan and into the lads' rooms, where four-year-old Killian sat up in his bed, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. She sat down on her little boy's bed and gathered him into her arms, rocking him gently. "Hush now, my lamb. You're safe in mother's arms."

He quieted, clinging to her, his sobs turning to little sniffs, and Alice felt her own tears come to the surface. How could she leave? Her babies needed her. She cursed the slow debilitating disease that was gradually snuffing the life from her body. It wasn't fair! It wasn't just! Her family needed her, but she could sense that she didn't have long left.

"It was a bad dream, mama," Killian murmured. "I was lost. I couldn't find you or Liam or Papa."

Alice took a deep breath, willing her emotions to subside. "You need never fear, Killian," Alice said, rubbing a soothing hand down his back. "'Twas naught but a dream. No matter what happens, no matter where we might go or how alone you might feel, you'll never truly be alone. I'll be here, inside your heart forever. Whenever you feel lonely, think of me and know wherever I am, I'm thinking about you and loving you."

He'd nodded solemnly and then crawled back into his bed. "Mama? Would you sing me a lullaby?"

Alice nodded, smoothing a hand through his fly-away hair. _"My love said to me, my mother won't mind…"_ she began, her clear, sweet soprano filling the room as Killian slowly closed his eyes, his hand clasped in hers.

She'd always loved the song. It reminded her of happier days, days when she was young and healthy and her whole life was ahead of her. It was, in fact, this very song that had brought her and her Brennan together.

As Alice continued singing and watched as her little boy's breathing evened in sleep, she thought of that day so many years ago. Her father had run an inn in a small seaside village, and Alice had taken to singing for the customers as they took their evening repast. One night the crew of a merchant ship, moored in the harbor, had come in just as the dinner rush was upon them.

She'd seen Brennan the moment he'd walked in. With his clear blue eyes and inky black hair, his manly beauty had nearly taken her breath away. She'd felt a connection, almost like a small, delicate thread connecting them together from the moment he arrived.

When it came time for the nightly entertainment, Alice had taken her accustomed place and looked out over the crowd, and there she saw him again, looking up at her, wonder and awe in his eyes. She'd sung her song straight to him, her heart laid bare before him, and he'd watched her, enraptured.

They'd quickly fallen madly, deeply, passionately in love, and Alice was sure nothing but absolute heaven awaited her.

But though she loved Brennan Jones with everything in her, he was a difficult man, a selfish man, a man to quick to follow the caprice of his own emotions. But whatever her husband's failings might be, she would forever be grateful for that night in the inn that brought them together. For if she'd never met Brennan, she'd have never given birth to Liam and Killian, and they were, without doubt, the most precious blessings of her life.

Alice lapsed into silence, looking down at Killian and then over at his older brother. She must tell them of her condition soon. There wasn't much time left, and she must prepare them for what was to come, but oh how she wished to be spared the task. The news would shatter their little worlds, and she'd rather endure a thousand deaths than cause them the kind of pain they would feel, but she'd not been given a choice. This burden had been placed on her.

She'd talk to Liam first. Her strong, steady ten-year-old was much like her. He'd take the weight of the world on his shoulders and become the rock his young brother needed. It was a hard, terrible thing, that her handsome lad would have this burden placed upon him at such a young age, but Alice had no illusions. Brennan would _try_ to do his duty by his lads, but he would fail. His grief and bitterness would drive him away. All she could hope was that her lads would cling to each other, find strength in each other.

Killian was more like his father, both in looks and in temperament, but while his father was selfish, Killian was driven by love. When he loved, he loved with his whole heart and soul, and it would be that capacity to love that would both make him feel the loss of his mother more keenly and ultimately help him heal.

"Mama?" Liam whispered from his bed on the other side of the room.

"Aye, lad?" she answered, slowly, painfully getting to her feet and padding toward him.

He looked up at her with solemn eyes, eyes that saw far too much. "Don't worry about Killian. I'll take care of him if he has another dream. You can sleep."

Alice smiled, stooping down to brush his sandy hair out of his face and kiss his forehead. "Killian is lucky to have you for a brother. Now go back to sleep. The sun will rise ere we know it."

"Night, Mother," Liam murmured sleepily, closing his eyes on a contented sigh.

Alice stood in the doorway for long moments, watching her precious lads sleep. "I'll love you both forever," she murmured. "Don't ever forget that my brave, beautiful boys."

Centuries later as Killian, lying with Emma cocooned in the shelter of his arms, woke to the sound of his own newborn baby crying, he remembered that moment, remembered how his mama looked as she soothed him back to sleep. Remembered that lovely song and her even lovelier voice. She'd taught him what parental love was.

Emma stirred beside him, but he stopped her with a gentle kiss. "It's my turn to see to the lass, love. Go back to sleep."

And as he held tiny, perfect little Eva Alice in the circle of his arms, he smiled down at her, feeling a love deeper and broader than anything he could have imagined, he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

"Hush now my lamb," he murmured. "You're safe in father's arms. Let me sing you a song my mama used to sing to me. _My love said to me, my mother won't mind…"_


End file.
